'He Wanted To Hurt Me': Woman Recalls Attack In LoHi Neighborhood
DENVER (CBS4) - According to Denver police, four assaults were reported near 18th and Boulder Streets this year. The suspects in three of those cases were identified, but one woman's attacker is still out there.
Ellie was walking home from a friend's house in the Lower Highlands neighborhood just before midnight on Feb. 14. It's a short walk that she's always felt confident making alone — until now.
"A guy came from behind me, grabbed my neck and violently threw my head to ground. I think he was trying to knock me out," said Ellie.
She says the man climbed on top of her and continued to attack her. He never gave up, but neither did she.
"I was able to squirm my way around so I was facing him," explained Ellie. "My natural fight or flight mode went on. I was screaming, yelling, kicking him, hitting him," she recounted.
She says the man eventually got up and ran away.
"It all happened within a matter of 10 seconds," said Ellie. The man took nothing, but her sense of security.
"If he just said 'I want to take your belongings,' I would've just given it to him easily. But he was violent and aggressive, and he wanted to hurt me. That was the scariest part," she said.
Ellie suffered a black eye, a cut on her face, whiplash and a minor concussion. She went to the emergency room after calling the police and filing a report.
DPD says she was smart to scream and draw as much attention to herself as possible, in order to scare the man away. Ellie hopes her story serves as a reminder to other young women about the importance of staying vigilant and aware of your surroundings.
"This has happened, and it can happen, and it could happen again," she warned. "You're never as safe as you think you are."
Ellie has successfully made that three-block walk by herself countless times, but that was the last time she'll do it alone.
The assault happened so fast, she wasn't able to get a clear look at her attacker. Denver police asks that anyone who may have information about this incident contact Crimestoppers 720- 913-STOP (7867).